


Warrior's Prize

by misfitdove



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Concubines, Divergent Gender Roles, Gender Roles, M/M, Secondary Spouses, previous John/Mary - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 11:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18009758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misfitdove/pseuds/misfitdove
Summary: Johntun, Warrior King of the TarbhDubh, returns to his homeland of Reichenbach after a decade of faraway wars and sieges. Only then does he learn the tragic news: his queen has died.Customs of his tribes dictate John must take a new queen within the next three moons, but only among his own kind.But when John finds himself bewitched by the prettiest little dancer, he must battle a different kind of war.





	Warrior's Prize

"Lord, how do you like the festivities?"

Grunting, Johntun, or John as is the common version of his warrior name, turns around to see Mikkus, his chamberlain, smiling broadly. Mikkus is Ramhar and not TarbhDubh, it means however he is better suited at organizing such events. Moreover, John rather likes how happy the man always appears to be and enjoys his company even when he is not in good spirits.

He downs the rest of his tankard. "Er. Good. Good. The beer is quite tasty."

"Beer?" A jovial voice belonging to Murrah pipes up from John's left. "Is that all you have to talk about, Johntun?"

To his right he feels Moranh clap his hand on John's shoulder. They are two of his oldest and closest warrior friends.

"Do not tell me you haven't partaken from the fruits of your long labors." Moranh motions across the various celebratory offerings: singers, comedians, mages. But it is on the dancers his hand and eyes linger, particularly on a small group of girls who wear rose colored dresses that twirl as delicately as they spin. They are stunningly beautiful, all of them most pale, and all with hair of large soft curls. "I'm told they are of the Weiss people, brought all the way from your newly conquered lands."

"They are lovely indeed." John replies.

"And...? The question, my ancient friend, is whether you have bedded one yet? If they are not concubine worthy I don't know any who is

"But 

 

John, or Johntun, as his warrior name bids, walks slowly around the various celebratory offerings: singers, dancers, and mages. He nods, grunts, lets the merriment-makers know they are doing well.

Taking a long draft of his

He is no longer sore of muscle, his army having returned from the formidable battle of Reichenbach two weeks earlier. But his heart aches. He has lost his warrior wife and custom bids the lord now much choose a new wife from the

 

The boy is Weiss, that much is clear. The fairest skin and fairest eyes Johntun has ever laid eyes on.

"They are lovely indeed."

 

Take a few concubines, m'Lord.

 

You are an old king but you don't remeber how centuries we never had such a conquoring hero.

 

John is a warrior king who takes his armies to fight and never leaves it to his generals. He is the most ferocious fighter 

Considering Sherlock is a warrior king who took his armies out personally to fight battles instead of leaving it to his generals, he's almost certainly a trained fighter. He might still be tall and slender, he's also lithely built, but I imagine his training would enhance his physical prowess and expertise in a variety of weapons, skills, and fighting styles, suited to his strength, frame and reach. He would most definitely be a formidable fighter.

With John occupying a position as Sherlock's co-ruler as his "Queen", his skills do not seem to reflect as much martial training as that of statescraft, diplomacy, protocol, and political savvy. Also, as Sherlock's spouse, John is most likely considered, if not property, he would at least be considered secondary in position in the relationship. Even in a fairly equal relationship, which theirs seems to be. And then there's the childhood conditioning and training of submission and supplication as a defense mechanism clearly described. John wasn't trained to rely on brute force.

As far as intimidation factor, Sherlock, as King, would hold ultimate power over his subjects, especially his spouse. He has the emotional advantage as John has realized he loves him and wants to be the best spouse and Darquan possible to Sherlock. Law is on Sherlock's side since John being Pirjiian seems to be a very significant crime punishable by death. And the fact he IS Pirjiian is a complete shock to both adding surprise to Sherlock's advantage.

On the strictly physical side, Sherlock has height and reach and, obviously, speed, as added advantage. That altogether, as well as martial might, the law of the land, political status and power, AND the knee-jerk reaction of blind rage... Sherlock held enough advantages to intimidate like a BOSS. ;-)

 

Sherlock climbed the steps to the bedchamber.

It was an excellent celebration; minstrels, dancers, magicians and fireworks. His army’s confrontation at Guanzexiar was a formidable, but well-earned victory. Well deserving of the food and drink to celebrate his recovery after weeks at the mercy of a seemingly deadly sickness. Oh, and the lamb, the roasted lamb! Marinated in some brew that John’s family concocted years ago was simply divine!

Ydarkra! Am I not upstairs yet?

A lot of long steps made even longer after several drafts of drink. It was an excellent celebration indeed! John certainly outdid himself in its last minute execution. It was a shame the stress of it all caused him to retire early. Granted it’s been a couple of hours since the darquan left, and in fact there were a couple of dozen revelers still in the great hall, but now seemed as good a time as any to join his darquan and retire for the night.

The reports he has received of John's actions during his absence, were a unique pleasure, he had not expected to enjoy. He knew he would be an excellent darquan given time and experience, but not so early in his tenure. His pride in choice of Darquan as he read and heard, report after report was evident. He wished he could show him just how much so, other than mere proclamations and trinkets.

The thought of holding his love’s body close to his now that the sickness had left was as warming to him as the stones that comprised the steps that separate him from that very pleasure were cold. The only thing colder perhaps was the heart of that same love. To be able to behold the beauty that is John fully clothed in Ydarkra Rohn’s finest is its own glory. To see his nude, honeyed skin luminescent in the glow of candlelight? That glory is even more so.

Oh, wish I the gift of painters to honor that glow!

 

Yeah, this is totally different, though I can totally see the various sociological and anthropological origins and developments that could bring this AU into existence. And how it could support varying divergent gender roles! Totally dependent on you and your Muse, of course! Very EXCITING!!! :-D

I get the feel this AU could definitely be ABO with males and females both being able to present as any of the three dynamics, with male and female Omegas and female Betas able to bear children. If NOT ABO, then childbearing females could be secondary to spouses in a relationship, rather like concubines. :-)

Personally, I'm not keen on the pup/litter thing with some ABO, but I can overlook that if the story is strong otherwise. OR if it has a werewolf or strong societal pack dynamic involved. That seems more sense. But that's just my opinion. :-)

 

I like stories that show different aspects of them that often aren't obvious.

For instance, John as a doctor and a soldier, a healer and a warrior, as a leader of men (military officer) who takes a secondary position to Sherlock as his partner. He is nurturing as well as intimidating when he feels the need. I love watching him kick ass and stand up to the bad-asses. Most don't expect it. But John does best by flying under the radar and fighting down and dirty.  
He fights to win. But his first tries are to do things a bit less violently. :-)

And Sherlock, as a cerebral genius who also excels at self-defense and martial arts, and actually goes out in field as an wet-works intelligence agent. That means he KILLS people. 2 years alone in the field. He shhots one of the evilest bastards they ran up against in the head. In full view of a bunch of people. How much more he-man can he get? Ok, that last bit could have been thought through a bit better, but timing was a major issue and he had none left.

Yes, Benedict's a "pretty" or "beautiful" actor, he is also an exemplary talented one and convincingly portrays the physical aspect of his character as well. But it's easy to forget that part when the majority of the physical happens off-screen.


End file.
